As the world closes in on conflicts, China has opened the vault in Latin America, with a record trade of 549 billion dollars in 2025, imports up by 27.6%, and nearly one million jobs, and stated at the Macau forum that it is here to stay in the region.

Written by Maria Heloisa Barbosa Borges

Published on 11/06/2026 at 18:17

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The data was presented by Chinese authorities at the 12th China-CELAC Infrastructure Forum in Macau this Thursday. China proposed a new stage of cooperation in green and digital infrastructure with Latin America. It is worth noting that the numbers and positive assessment come from the Chinese government itself, the host of the meeting.

China reaffirmed its long-term commitment to Latin America and the Caribbean during a forum in Macau, and proposed a new stage of cooperation in green and digital infrastructure. According to the portal Brasil 247, the announcement took place at the 12th China-CELAC Infrastructure Forum, held this Thursday, June 11, 2026, with government authorities, international organizations, and executives from large companies. The messages came from representatives of the Chinese government.

Among the highlights presented by China are record trade with Latin America and the promise of more investments in the region. According to diplomat Zhang Run, trade exchange between the two sides reached US$ 549 billion, about R$ 3 trillion, in 2025, with Chinese imports on the rise and nearly one million jobs linked to Chinese projects. However, the numbers were presented by the Chinese government itself, the host of the meeting.

China reaffirms commitment to Latin America

At the Macau forum, China promised a new phase of infrastructure cooperation with Latin America and cited record trade of US$ 549 billion.
photo: brasil247

The central political message of the forum was delivered by Zhang Run, director of the Latin America and Caribbean Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China. According to the material, he cited a message from President Xi Jinping to the 10th CELAC Summit and stated that the country will maintain its historical commitment to the region. In his words, China would be “always a good friend and a good partner” of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.

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Record Trade and the Numbers Presented by China

To support the discourse, China presented trade numbers with Latin America. According to Zhang Run, bilateral trade reached a record of US$ 549 billion in 2025 and, in the first five months of 2026, reached US$ 247.3 billion, an increase of 17.6% compared to the same period of the previous year. The most highlighted data by him was the 27.6% growth in Chinese imports from the region, which totaled US$ 120 billion.

It is important to remember that these numbers and the positive reading come from the Chinese government itself, in the forum it organized. According to Zhang, the result would show a greater balance in trade relations, and recent surveys would indicate an increasingly favorable perception of China in the region. The diplomat also mentioned the visa exemption for citizens of Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay and the expansion of direct flights, including with Brazil.

Chancay, Bogotá Metro, and the Three Pillars of the New Phase

The infrastructure part was handled by Wang Qi, head of the Department of Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation of the Ministry of Commerce of China. According to the material, he stated that projects of the Belt and Road Initiative created a cooperation network in transport, energy, telecommunications, and urban development in Latin America.

Among the examples, he mentioned the Port of Chancay in Peru, which would have reduced maritime transport between the country and Asia from 35 to 23 days, and Line 1 of the Bogotá Metro in Colombia, which is expected to shorten commutes of more than two hours to 27 minutes.

According to Wang Qi, projects by Chinese companies have already helped create nearly one million jobs in the region, in addition to hospitals, schools, bridges, airports, roads, and ports. He advocated for a new phase supported by three pillars, according to the material: the integration between infrastructure and industry, the ecological transition, with clean energy and green finance, and digitalization, with the shift from physical connectivity to digital connectivity. All this, it is worth noting, within the vision presented by China itself.

Chinese giants advance, and the partnership divides opinions

The forum took place amid the growing presence of large Chinese infrastructure groups in Latin America. According to the material, representatives from PowerChina, China Energy Engineering, China Railway Construction Corporation, China Harbour Engineering, and Huawei participated, in a strategy that combines traditional works with clean energy, smart grids, and digitalization.

At the opening, Li Chenggang, China’s Trade representative, advocated for more multilateralism, trade liberalization, and cooperation in areas such as 5G networks, data centers, and smart cities.

Representing CELAC, Guyana’s Minister of Public Works, Juan Anthony Edghill, praised the advancement of the partnership since the forum’s creation in 2014 in Brasília. He stated that the region has witnessed “exponential growth” in the cooperation agenda.

Still, it is important to remember that this account comes from an event organized by China, and the rapprochement occurs amid a global geopolitical dispute, watched with enthusiasm by some and with caution by others, especially regarding dependency and indebtedness.

In the end, the 12th China-CELAC Infrastructure Forum in Macau made clear the size of China’s bet on Latin America, with record numbers and the promise of a new phase of cooperation. However, the scenario was drawn from the Chinese perspective, and the real reach of this partnership will depend on the execution of the projects and how each country in the region manages the relationship. Between enthusiasm and caution, what is at stake is China’s weight in the economic future of Latin America.

And you, how do you see China’s increasing presence in Latin America, an opportunity for development or a reason for caution? Share your opinion and exchange ideas with other readers, with respect for different views.

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As the world closes in on conflicts, China has opened the vault in Latin America, with a record trade of 549 billion dollars in 2025, imports up by 27.6%, and nearly one million jobs, and stated at the Macau forum that it is here to stay in the region.

China reaffirms commitment to Latin America

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As the world closes in on conflicts, China has opened the vault in Latin America, with a record trade of 549 billion dollars in 2025, imports up by 27.6%, and nearly one million jobs, and stated at the Macau forum that it is here to stay in the region.

China reaffirms commitment to Latin America

Record Trade and the Numbers Presented by China

Chancay, Bogotá Metro, and the Three Pillars of the New Phase

Chinese giants advance, and the partnership divides opinions

Engineers want to carve through Africa with a giant canal to bring water from the world’s second-largest river to a dying lake on the edge of the Sahara Desert that has already lost 90% of its water.

A giant brown band visible from space, approximately 8,850 kilometers long, connected Africa to America in the Atlantic Ocean, and satellites revealed that it is neither land nor pollution, but the largest accumulation of seaweed in the world, which broke records in 2025.

Workers were opening a modern road in Dover when they found, 6 meters below the asphalt, a 3,500-year-old boat made of stitched oak and plant fibers.

Instead of burning or burying old tires, an American city is transforming about 2,000 of them into the street itself, paving its first sections with a quieter and more durable rubber asphalt.

In just one cast, fishermen are surprised to capture 14,096 mullets in Bombinhas and close a historic season with 58,000 fish; scene recorded in the Santa Catarina paradise marks the last day of the 2026 season.

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